Enjoy the best of Cyprus' stunning Akamas Peninsula during the winter months. Winter in Cyprus is generally mild, especially the western part where the walks on this hiking holiday are concentrated. The walks are mostly in the Akamas Peninsula National Park and in the adjacent “Laona” plateau area, at around 600m, with its small traditional villages. some of the walks end at the coast. In late winter and early spring, from February onwards, peaking in March, the Akamas blooms with a profusion of wildflowers. You can find many types of orchids and there are indigenous species of tulip that you may discover near the coast. Bird life can also be interesting as migrants start to return to mainland Europe.
Cyprus is an island of natural beauty in a region with an abundance of ancient and modern civilisations and cultures. Its mineral wealth was well known in ancient times: the island gave its name to the element copper (Cu). Away from the cosmopolitan towns and beach resorts you will walk through large areas of natural, unspoilt countryside. Woodland, orange orchards and vineyards are interspersed with tranquil, timeless villages on this hiking holiday. The Cypriot people extend a warm and friendly welcome and their hospitality will add greatly to the enjoyment of this winter walking tour.
We had a spectacular trip. We did a self-guided trip in Piemonte and Tuscany/Umbria. The hotels were much nicer than we expected. Very comfortable and the owners/proprietors were so helpful. The transfer of luggage each day was seamless!
The routes were generally well marked and the app was very good. We didn't need anything more than the app. Only got lost twice which I'd say is pretty good. The routes were a bit more challenging than we expected. We choose two hikes which were marked as 'Introductory - Moderate' which were tougher than we expected. So just pay attention to this. At home, we would consider ourselves quite capable of moderate+ trails, but the classification in Italy is a bit more demanding.
Glad we wore hiking pants as we went through a lot of grasses so never had a concern about tics. Also were very happy we had hiking sticks with us. Invaluable on many of the trails.
I would definitely recommend them to anyone considering a hiking trip. And absolutely no problem doing the self-guided version.
Thank you!!
Griffy and Marg
For people in their mid/late 60's like us, a trip such as the French Food Lover's Le Puy Camino was the best outcome. There were many aspects of the trip that were excellent. An example; having a guided tour through a particular historic town/city with a knowlegeable guide other "tourists" walked past us with a look of envy because we were part of a structured tour group.
Food toursWalking tours
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Hut
Age Range
18-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
The Way of St. James, Southern F
The Way of St. James, Southern France, Le Puy-en-Velay, Pau , Saugues, Laguiole, Conques, Figeac, Cahors, Moissac, Montréal-du-Gers, St Jean Pied De Port
Fantastic trip! Well organised and everything went smoothly. Would probably split the two big 30+ days if I were to have my time again. The heat adds another level of difficulty. Accommodations were all different but all clean and welcoming. Meals were varied as we walked into different regions the food changed to what was local. We never had a bad meal or a bad stay anywhere. Highly recommend this trip through France. A nice quiet Camino compared to the Frances but far more challenging. Very enjoyable.
Walking tours
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel, Guest House, Hut
Age Range
18-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, The Way
Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, The Way of St. James, Le Puy-en-Velay, Golinhac, Conques, Livinhac Le Haut, Figeac, Cajarc, Limogne En Quercy, Lalbenque, Cahors, St-Privat-d'Allier, Lascabanes, Lauzerte, Moissac, Auvillar, Flamarens, Lectoure, La Romieu, Armagnac, Montréal Du Gers, Eauze, Saugues, Nogaro, Aire Sur L'adour, Miramont-Sensacq, Fichous-Riumayou, Sauvelade, Aroue, Saint Palais, Ostabat-Asme, St Jean Pied De Port, Les Faux, Aumont-Aubrac, Nasbinals, St-Chely-d'Aubrac, Espalion, Estaing
Overall, the Conques to Cahors trip was fabulous with great accommodation and amazing hosts. However, there were a few little details that were not up to the same standard. Neither of us could get the navigation on the Guido app to work without constant errors and it was missing critical information, such as potable water fountains, cafes and supermarkets. I provided dietary information upon booking that I cannot eat pork, but was served pork for dinner on two occasions (not sure if that is just French hospitality or the information was not provided to the hosts). And our itinerary did not end up being as listed on the website, we had one day that was only 6.5kms and another day that was 28.5kms, which resulted in a very long day of walking.
Walking tours
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel, Guest House, Hut
Age Range
18-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
The Way of St. James, Conques, L
The Way of St. James, Conques, Livinhac Le Haut, Figeac, Ussac, Cajarc, Limogne-en-Quercy, Lalbenque, Cahors
A guided walk that explores the ancient cities, mountains and villages along Crete's southwest coast. Crete, the largest and most mountainous of the Greek islands, is the cradle of Europe's earliest civilization and the land where ancient myth and modern reality blend seamlessly against a backdrop of outstanding natural beauty. This eight day guided walking trip explores the southwest coast of Crete, with its spectacular White Mountains, the deep gorges and coastal trails that lead us to charming fishing villages and quiet beaches, accessible only by boat. Packed with highlights including an ascent of Mount Gingilos (2080m), scenic walks through numerous gorges including the longest in Europe, the Samaria Gorge, and sightings of the wild goats (Kri-kri) and griffon vultures on the Omalos plateau, the trip will appeal to lovers of coastal landscapes, history and traditional Greek culture. Whilst the focus is on walking, there is ample time to swim at unspoilt beaches, explore coastal villages and soak up the hospitality during stays at a selection of handpicked hotels
Walking tours
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Based in two centres, starting in Padstow then spending the second half of the week in Charlestown on the South coast. Our tour leader, Will, and his colleague Gaby, were prepared to go to any lengths to make sure we were fully supported. The walking required a decent level of fitness, the rating of 3 (moderate) is an accurate assessment, and my phone recorded 51 miles during the five days of walks (and 137,700 steps!).
The hotels were both good, although don't expect a sea view, and Will was always able to find us somewhere to eat despite COVID meaning there were a lot more tourists there than usual, and staffing was challenging for many of the restaurants.
The scenery is really lovely, both on the coast and inland, and lots of photos were taken and shared.
Trekking and HikingAdventure
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Did this trip in September 2025 and had the best time. Would recommend a baseline fitness level where you're comfortable with extended cardio because there's a fair bit of uphill-ness. Just a heads-up one of the mountain cabins was shared bunk room and no showers if that's really not your thing (the other hut is amazing though and the views from both are incredible). Generally amazing hikes and views and seamless transport of our big luggage to accommodation.
It was good to be "off the beaten track" -- away from crowds, in smaller places. The places we stayed were terrific, and the meals -- the reason we came here -- wonderful.